Wafer-machine.



J. M. MBE.

WATER MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OO'l. 30, 1909.

973,304, Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A TTOHNE YS me Naam: Pneus co.. wssmNs-rox, DA c.

J. M. RIB.

WAFER MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001230, 1909.

973,304. Patented Oct. 18, 1910 3 SHBETSfSHEET 2.

fue. mais Pera-Rs co., wAsHlNmoN, n. c.

l. M. MBE.

WAI-BR MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 30, 1909.

973,304 Patented Oct. 18,1910.

3 SHEETrS-SHEET E.

A TTRNEYS Jos MARTI RIB, 0F BARCELONA, SPAIN.

WAFER-IVIACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Application filed October 30, 1909. Serial No. 525,454.

To all whom 'it may concern.

Be it known that I, Jos MARTI Riinfi, a subject of the King of Spain,and a resident of Barcelona, Spain, have invented a new and Improved Wafer-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The invention relates to machines used in the manufacture of wafersadapted to serve as edible receptacles for powdered drugs and the like,and relates more particularly to a machine of this class in which aplurality of molds is provided, each consisting of a stationary moldmember and a movable inold member between which the wafers are formed,the machine including means for intermittently operating the movablemold members, and having burners for applying heatat the molds.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and eilicient machinefor use in the molding and baking of edible wafers adapted to containdrugs, etc., the output of which is large, which is simple in operation,and which requires but a single operator.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts tobe more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a Wafer machine constituting anembodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section o-n the line2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the parts of the machine in side elevation; Fig.3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of one of the molds on the line3-3 of Fig. 5; Fig. I is a plan view of one of the molds, showing one ofthe members partly broken away and having a burner removed; and Fig. 5is a lan view of one of the mold members having parts broken away.

Before proceeding to a more detailed eX- planation of my invention itshould be clearly understood that while the machine is particularlyuseful for the manufacture of wafers used as containers for powdereddrugs or other chemicals and necessary in the practice of medicine, itcan also be adhowever, if so desired the number can be varied inaccordance with individual preference and special conditions. I do notlimit myself to these or other details of construction, as they can bealtered without departing from thc underlying spirit of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings I employ a shaft 10rotatably mounted in any suitable manner, for example, by means ofbearing hangers 11. The shaft 10 is actuated from a suitable source ofpower; for instance, as shown in the illustration, it may be providedwit-h a gear-wheel 12 in mesh with a worm 13 rigid with a transverseshaft 14 journaled in bearings 15 and provided with belt pulleys 16 topermit its operative connection with a prime mover or other source ofpower. Rigidly secured upon the shaft 10 are a plurality of camwheels17, each having a hub 18 extended in the direction of the length of theshaft 10. The cam-wheels preferably comprise semi-circular lobes havingcurved rentrant parts.

I employ connecting-rods 19, each having a bifurcated upper end 20, thesides of which are provided with slots 21 movably engaging thelaterally-extended hub 18. Each of the cam-wheels it will be understoodis positioned between the sides of the bifurcated part of one of theconnectingrods 19. Each connecting-rod at the beginning of itsbifurcated part has a transverse pivot-bolt 22 provided at one end witha head 28 and held in place by a nut 24:. The pivot-bolt is carried byextended parts 25 of the sides 20 and has mounted thereon a roller 26 inengagement with the periphery of the corresponding cam-wheel. It will beunderstood that the slotted sides 20 act as guides for theconnecting-rods which are actuated by the cam-wheels.

The mold members 27 are mounted upon casings 2S of substantiallyrectangular form and each provided with sliding doors 29 to permit theoperator to control the burners 3() located within the casing. Thecasings are mounted upon a suitable table or support ($8 which may be ofany forni adapted for the purpose. Each of the mold members has a lowermold plate 31 secured upon its casing by means of lugs 32 which seatupon lugs 33 of the casing and are fastened thereto by means of suitablebolts 34, or the like. Upon each of the plates 31 is arranged an upperor movable mold plate 35. The plates 31 and have extensions 3G and 37respectively, arranged in alternation and having registering openings 33therethrough adapted to receive a common hinge-pin or rod 39 so that themembers can be movably connected. The plate 31 has an arm 40 which canbe used in the manipulation of the plate when it is mounted in positionupon its casing or removed therefrom.

The plate 31, in the upper face thereof, has a plurality of forming ordie recesses 41, each of which receives a corresponding die 42 of theupper plate 35. Each of these dies has a body 43 adjustably mounted in arecess 44. The body has in turn a screwadjusting stem 45 extendingthrough an' opening 4G of the plate 35 to the top thereof to permit theprojection of the die to be altered as desired. In this way thethickness of the wafers formed by the mold member can be controlled bythe operator.

The plate 35 has rigid therewith an arm 47, to which is pivotallyconnected a frame 48 by means of ears 49 which are secured at oppositesides of the arm 47 by means of a pivot-pin 50. Rigid with the frame isa rearwardly-extending arm 51 which carries at the free end a hingedweight or counterpoise 52 which tends to maintain the mold in a normalposition. At the end of each arm 47 is pivotally mounted a socket 53having a forked end 54, between the sides of which is located the arm 47and to which it is secured by means of a pivot-pin or bolt 55. Each ofthe sockets 53 has a longitudinallythreaded recess 56 which receives acorrespondingly-threaded end 57 of one of the connecting-rods 19. Theconnecting-rod also has lock-nuts 58. It will be seen that the effectivelengths of the connecting-rods with respect to the mold members can bevaried by suitable adjustment of the sockets with respect to theconnecting-rods proper.

Within each of the frames 48 is located a burner 59, consisting o-fhollow members or pipes substantially rectangular in arrangement andhaving cross pipes. The pipes are provided with outlet openings 60through which the gas escapes and at which the iiames burn. The burnershave inlets 61 provided with controlling cocks 62 and connected by meansof suitable flexible tubes 63 with the supply pipes 64, the latterhaving controlling valves (55 and join the main gas conduit (56. Supplypipes (37 are also provided for conducting the gas from the main conduit(3U to the burners 3() within the casings. The conduits 67 havecontrolling valves (59, and the burners 30 which they supply may be ofany suitable type. I-Vhile I have shown the present form of the machineprovided with gas burners, any other heating means which lends itself tothe purpose can of course be employed,

It will be seen that as the shaft 10 rotates, the cam-wheels which aremounted thereon successively raise and lower the movable mold members.are so positioned upon the shafts that the operation of the molds is asuccessive one and permits a single operator to place .the wafermaterial between the molds and to remove the finished wafers. Theweights 52 tend to maintain the movable mold members in loweredpositions upon the fixed mold members, and the movable mold members areoperated against the gravitational action of the weights.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Iletters Patent:

1. In a machine of the class described, a stationary mold plate, amovable mold plate hinged thereto, a connecting-rod hinged to saidmovable mold plate, a frame hinged to said movable mold plate and havingan arm, a counterweight carried by said arm, means for reciprocatingsaid connecting-rod, and a burner arranged within said frame upon saidmovable mold plate.

2. In a machine of the class described, a stationary mold plate, amovable mold plate hinged thereto, a connecting-rod hinged to saidmovable mold plate, a frame hinged to said movable mold plate and havingan arm, a counterweight carried by said arm, means for reciprocatingsaid connecting rod, a burner arranged within said frame upon saidmovable mold plate, said stationary mold plate having recesses, saidmovable mold plate having a plurality of adjustable dies, each adaptedto coperate with one of said recesses to form a wafer, and a burnerunder said stationar f mold plate.

3. In a machine of the class described, a mold having a movable member,a connecting-rod controlling said member, a cam, and means for drivingsaid cam, said connecting-rod having a bifurcated end receiving betweenthe sides thereof, said cam, the sides of said bifurcated end of saidconnectnig-rod being slotted, said cam having a hub guidingly engagingsaid slotted sides, said connecting-rod having a roller in peripheralengagement with said cam.

4. In a machine of the class described, a mold having a stationary moldplate, a secoud 1110111 plate pvoted. thereto, u frame .[11 testh'uouywhereof l have signed my piveted to said. second 1110111 plate :1nd1101*- nume to this Specification in the presence of mully 111 positionthereon, uml u burner un two subscribing wtueses.

ranged within 5111.11 llfzuue und e011'1p1's11g JOS MARTI 11115151 5hollow 111e111he1's lum/111g thune outlets, und Witnesgeg;

having :1 flexible eonueetion for the 111t1o- RAMON MARTI BELLA,

duction of gaseous 01' other fuel. HENRY MARTlNE.

